Hypocaccus s.str.

Lackner, Tomas & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2017, A monograph of the Australopacific Saprininae (Coleoptera, Histeridae), ZooKeys 689, pp. 1-263 : 32

Subgenus Hypocaccus s.str. Figs 144, 145-153, 154-160, 161, 162-173, 174-182, 755, 756, 760

Diagnosis.

From the sole Australian representative of the subgenus Nessus , H. (N.) interpunctatus interpunctatus , members of the nominotypical subgenus differ by larger size and presence of several deep rugae on otherwise almost glabrous frontal disc. From the sole Australopacific member of the subgenus Baeckmanniolus , H. (B.) varians varians , the two species of the nominotypical subgenus are easily separated by the presence of punctation on the pronotum.

Biology.

Both species of the nominotypical subgenus that occur in Australopacific Region are littoral, occurring under wrack on beach, one specimen of H. (H.) brasiliensis from Australia was also found on a riverbank.

Distribution.

Two very similar littoral psammophilous species, H. (H.) brasiliensis and H. (H.) sinae are present in Australopacific Region (Figs 755, 756, 760). Both species are most likely invaders from north (sensu Matthews and Bouchard 2008: 17), as they occur in the Palaearctic and Indo-Malaysian Regions and the genus Hypocaccus is widely represented there too. The species H. (H.) brasiliensis is tropicopolitan, distributed along beaches in all warmer regions around the globe ( Mazur 2011); in Australia it was also found inland on a riverbank of the Colo River (Fig. 756).

Remarks.

Regarding the differences between the nominotypical subgenus and subgenus Baeckmanniolus , Bousquet and Laplante (2006: 80, 196) mention another character, the number of rows of denticles on the outer margin of metatibia (two in Hypocaccus s. str. versus three in the subgenus Baeckmanniolus ) and treat the subgenus Baeckmanniolus as a distinct genus. For more discussion see Lackner (2010: 145).

Key to the species of the subgenus Hypocaccus C. Thomson, 1867 of the genus Hypocaccus C. Thomson, 1867 occuring in the Australopacific Region